There are multiple forms of electronic games which are designed to be played on a computer or other personal computer device, such as a phone or tablet. Such games often include graphical elements which are designed to be manipulated by the player of the game. Often, such games use colors or shapes to graphically portray different aspects of game play.
One category of electronic games includes tile-matching video games where the player manipulates game tiles in order to make them disappear according to a matching criterion. In some tile-matching games, that criterion is the arrangement of a given number of tiles of the same type so that they are adjacent each other. That number is often three or more, and the corresponding subset of tile-matching games is sometimes referred to as “match-three.” When a match occurs, the matching game tiles are removed from the field, to be replaced by additional game tiles. Game play continues until a particular objective of the game, such as achieving a particular score or other game goal, is met.
Within a particular game, a game mechanic refers to a method or rule of gameplay which governs interaction with the game. A game mechanic may dictate which moves are allowed and/or what happens when a particular move is made.
In some match-three games, manipulating the game tiles involves swapping two tiles with one another. The player can swap two tiles each turn of the game in order to achieve the matching criterion. Similarly, a game mechanic of a match-three game can also dictate what types of combinations of game tiles meet the matching criterion and what happens once a match is made. In some match-three games, game tiles which match are removed from the board to be replaced by other game tiles.
Different types of match-three electronic games can differentiate themselves from one another through their game mechanics. Providing new game mechanics may be advantageous.